User Interface and Method for Control of Light Systems

ABSTRACT

An interface device ( 100 ) for controlling light sources ( 110 ) includes a target region ( 205 ); and a controller ( 120 ) that associates a preset with an illumination region, and controls a light source ( 110 ) in the illumination region when an indicator ( 215 ) associated with the preset and illumination region is moved into the target region ( 205 ). The controller ( 120 ) associates the preset with the illumination region when the preset is moved to an area of the interface device ( 100 ) associated with the illumination region. The controller ( 120 ) is further configured to change light attributes of light emitted from the light source ( 110 ) when the indicator ( 215 ) is moved across the target region ( 205 ), such as providing maximum intensity when the indicator ( 215 ) is at the center of the target region ( 205 ). The light attributes include intensity, color, hue, saturation, beam direction and/or beam width of the light.

The present invention relates to a user interface, such as a graphicuser interface (GUI) for control of light systems and methods,especially to systems and methods for selecting a desired lightsource(s) and preset(s) to provide desired illumination in a desiredregion(s).

Controlling light systems based on user preferences (e.g. colors,intensity, special effects, etc.) is presently becoming more popular forcreating artificial atmosphere in private dwellings and public placesincluding retail establishments that typically use lightingprofessionals to design proper lighting to provide the proper atmosphereand light accent. Current light controllers are costly and complex andrequire professionals to develop and implement such controls. Oneexample of a light system controller is disclosed in U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2003/0057887 A1, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety, where a real environment, such as astadium, is modeled or mapped in a virtual environment using a drag anddrop interface including the placement of virtual light sources toestablish correspondence with real light sources. Such a virtualrepresentation of a real environment is then used to control lights inthe real environment. Other complicated controls for exploring lightspaces is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,704, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety, where a system facilitatesgraphical light design by generating different light options for a sceneand organizing all images to simplify the light selection for a user forcombining images to create a final image.

Consumers are also interested in having proper lighting atmospheres intheir homes that can be easily controlled to provide such desiredlighting atmospheres and the market is responding. For example,International Publication No. WO 2004/100613 A1, which is incorporatedherein in its entirety, discloses a user interface for controlling lightemitting diodes (LEDs) having a touch screen that may be a resistivetouch screen or a capacitive one, where the user provides a processordesired light spectral output for controlling the LEDs. Although such auser interface is a big improvement as compared to costly and complexprofessional light controllers, there is still a need for furtheruser-friendly interface devices that provide sense and simplicity in thecontrol of various light sources.

Accordingly, an interface device (100) for controlling light sources isprovided that includes a target region; and a controller configured toassociate a preset with an illumination region; and to control a lightsource in the illumination region when an indicator associated with thepreset and illumination region is moved into the target region. Thecontroller associates the preset with the illumination region when thepreset is moved to an area of the interface device associated with theillumination region. The controller is further configured to changelight attributes of light emitted from said light source when saidindicator is moved across the target region. The light attributesinclude intensity, color, hue, saturation, beam direction and/or beamwidth of the light. The controller may further be configured to changeintensity of light emitted from the light source when the indicator ismoved across the target region, where the intensity is maximum when theindicator is at the center of the target region.

Areas of the target region may also be associated with different colors,where the controller is configured to change the color of light emittedfrom the light source when the indicator is moved across such areas. Inaddition, the controller may also be configured to display an indicationof the illumination region, the target region, and/or various presetsand/or a drop menu of presets. Illustratively, the indicator is an iconand/or a pointer displayed on the interface device (100) which mayinclude a touch sensitive screen and/or a capacitive or resistive disc.The preset may include a selected set of light sources and selectedattributes associated with lights emanating from the selected set oflight sources.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It shouldbe understood that the detailed description and specific examples, whileindicating exemplary embodiments of the invention, are intended forpurposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of theapparatus and methods of the present invention will become betterunderstood from the following description, appended claims, andaccompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a lighting system having a userinterface according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A-2C show the user interface of FIG. 1 in greater detail

The following description of certain exemplary embodiments is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a lighting system 100 having auser-interface device 105 for controlling light fixtures or sources 115to provide light of desired attributes, including desired intensity,color, hue, saturation, beam direction, beam width and the like. Thelight fixtures may include motors that are controlled by theuser-interface device 105 for pan and tilt operation for example. Thelight sources may be any kind of controllable light source withassociated ballasts or control electronics, such as incandescent,fluorescent, halogen, high intensity discharge (HID), LEDs and the like,where LEDs where are particularly well suited for providingcolor-changeable light.

Each lighting fixture or source, or set of lighting fixtures or sources,or lighting systems may have further circuitry and memory to store andprovide their own identifying information which is known or communicatedto the interface device in response to a request signal therefrom, forexample, so that any desired light fixture may be addressed andcontrolled by the controller 120 in response to user input to the userinterface 115.

As shown in FIG. 1, the user-interface device 105 includes a userinterface 115 which will be described in greater detail in connectionwith FIG. 2. The user interface 115 is coupled to a processor orcontroller 120 configured to control light fixtures or sources 115 whichmay be located anywhere, alone or in sets, in one or various rooms andthe like. A memory 125 is coupled to the controller 120 and is capableof storing necessary instruction and data, such as operatinginstructions to be executed by the controller as well as presets thatinclude particular combinations of light attributes to be associatedwith the light sources 110 for providing lights in accordance with suchpresets. It should be noted that the interconnection among userinterface 115, the controller 120, memory 125 and the light sources maybe via any communication means, such as wired or wireless communicationdirectly or through a network. Short range wireless communication suchas using Zigbee™ or Bluetooth™ protocols is well suited particularlybetween the controller 120 and the light sources 110, as well as betweenthe user interface 115 and the controller 120 in the case where the twoare implemented as separate devices.

As is well know, transceivers for transmitting and receiving signalsthrough wires or a wireless interface, may also be provided as needed,including antennas in the case of wireless communication. Modulators,demodulators and filters may also be used to extract information orcontrol signals from carrier signals for further processing.

The presets may be organized in any desired way, such as presets forromantic, reading, TV watching modes and the like. The presets may bepredetermined and stored in the memory and prepared by lightingprofessionals, including the manufacturer/developer of the userinterface device 105. Of course, the present may be programmable byanyone including users who may change them as desired or create andstore new presets in the memory 125.

The controller 120 may be any type of controller or processor, such asthose described in U.S. 2003/0057887, that is capable of providingoutput or control signals in response to input signals from the userinterface 115, executing instruction stored in the memory 125, which maybe any type of memory, RAM, ROM, removable memory, CD-ROM, and the like,also as described in U.S. 2003/0057887. It should be understood userinterface 115, the controller 120, memory 125, although shown as part ofthe user interface device 105, may be separate units alone or incombination with other units. For example, the controller 120 and memory125 may be part of a personal computer, and the user interface 115 aseparate or integrated unit therewith. The user interface device 105itself may be implemented in a personal computer or any device capableof accepting user input, storing data and providing control signals,such as remote controllers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellphones and the like.

FIGS. 2A-2C show one embodiment of the user interface 115 having atarget region 205 which may be a resistive or capacitive touch screen,for example. Alternatively the target region 205 as well as regionsexterior thereto may be touch sensitive display 210 similar to those inPDA's controllable via pointers, such as pointing devices or one'sfinger.

In use, a user selects a preset which may be displayed on the screen 210as an icon 215, after selection from a drop menu for example, or from aplurality of icons displayed on the screen 210. Illustratively, one icon215 is displayed and the user associates the icon 215 with a presetselected from a drop menu for example to the icon 215, such as aromantic preset or a reading preset for example.

Further, the user selects and associates a specific light fixture orsource 110 with the icon 215. Illustratively, the user selects a desiredillumination region of a room, dwelling or building with the icon 215,and the processor or controller 120 automatically associates lightfixtures in the selected desired illumination region with the icon 215using relevant information stored in the memory 125, such as a map ofthe environment and, e.g., rooms in a house, and locations and types oflight fixtures in each room having unique addresses for identification,addressing and control. Such a map may be created by any suitable means,such as described in U.S. 2003/0057887 A1.

For example, the user may choose a romance as the preset and the bedroomas the illumination region. Alternatively, the user may choose a readingpreset and a reading chair or a sitting room as the illumination region.In one embodiment the name 220, or a representative location icon (suchas an icon in the shape of chair, bed etc.) of the selected illuminationregion may be displayed on the screen 210, such as in the target region205, for example. User selection of on-screen icons, representations orother items, whether directly on the screen or through other means suchas drop-down menus for example, may be by any suitable means, such as bya mouse click or a double mouse click. Illustratively, selection isperformed by pointing using a pen, pointing device or a finger in thecase the screen is the touch screen 210.

Relations between two user interface objects, such as between presetsand illumination regions, or between presets and illumination regionsand the icon 215, may also be by any suitable means such as by draggingone object close or over another object, which would result in a certainaction, e.g., the above-described association, similar to dragging afile over a trash bin results in file deletion. Similarly the icon 215,which may also be in the form of text or text representing a lightsetting, can be dragged onto another user interface object, whichrepresents a certain area in a room/location, which would result inactivating this preset in the corresponding location. Feed-forward insuch a dragging action may also be provide to show the relationshipbetween the two interface objects, e.g., by highlighting the userinterface object onto which the dragged object can be dropped.

The icons 215, having been associated with a particular preset andillumination region, can be dragged back and forth like a slider, forexample, over a designated area of the screen 210, to set a certainvalue on a scale such as intensity, color and any other light attribute.

As described, various actions such as the three above-mentioned actionsare combined in one single dragging action to control a light system.The user can select a lighting preset by pointing at it (for instance byputting one's finger down on a touch screen), assign it to a specificlocation by dragging it onto the designated area, such as the targetregion 205 of the on the screen 210, and once the preset icon is on thetarget region 205, set attributes of light emitted from the selectedlight sources associated with the icon 215, such as the intensity of thepreset, by continuing to drag the icon 215 more towards the centre oftarget region 205, for example. The actions can be stopped by releasingthe preset icon (for instance by lifting one's finger from a touchscreen), resulting in that preset being assigned to that specific areaat a specific intensity. Illustratively, when the user selects a preset,the areas where the preset can be applied are highlighted.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the icon 215 is associated with a particularpreset, where the icon 215 may be configured to provide an indication ofthe preset via textual or graphical representation. For example, if theromance preset is selected and associated with the icon 215, then thetext “romance” or any other representative text may be included in theicon. Alternatively or in addition, the shape and/or color of the iconmay be changed to a representative shape, such as the shape of a heartwhich may be pink, bright red or the like. Similarly, a textual orgraphical representation of the selected illumination region may also beindicated on the screen 210, such as in the target region 205, as shownby the indication of “bedroom” 220 shown in FIG. 2A. Again, instead ofthis text, a graphical shape of a bed may be displayed. Of course, anytextual or graphical representation may be programmable by the userwhich may also be through navigation and selection from drop-down menusfor example.

FIG. 2B shows the icon 215 that is associated with the particularpreset, which may be programmed and modified by the user to be anydesired light source or sources in the illumination area such as thebedroom, is dragged into the target area 205. The location of the icon215 within the target area is associated with a particular value orlevel of the selected preset or light attribute. For example, if theselected preset includes light intensity, then dragging the icon 215 inthe target area 205 changes the intensity of the preset. Illustratively,the light intensity is at 20% in the case where the icon 215 is at theposition shown in FIG. 2B, which is inward from the target region borderat approximately 20% of the target region's radius.

FIG. 2C shows the icon 215 being in the center of the target area 205,which in the case of intensity, sets the associated lights at maximumintensity, where dimming is achieved by moving away from the center. Ofcourse, many variations may be devised by those skilled in the art inview of the present description, such as having a mode, which may be thedefault mode which of course is programmable by the user, that turns thelights on at maximum intensity where the icon 215 is automatically movedto the center of the target area 205, thus allowing for dimming bydragging the icon 215 away from the target area center.

As the icon 215 is dragged toward the target area center and theintensity of light emanating from the associated light source(s)increase, an indication of such increased may be provided on the screen210, such as via a scale or via changing the intensity of a designatedscreen region, such as the target area 205. Illustratively, when theicon 215 is at the target area center, the target area is brightest, orthe center of the target area is brightest and region away from thetarget area center have gradually decreasing brightness thus providing afurther indication that moving the icon 215 to regions away from thetarget area center will result in dimming of the associated lightsource(s). The color of the target area 205 may be the same color as thelight emanating from the light source(s). For example, if the lightcolor is red, then the target area center is brighter red than the restof the target area.

Of course, other light attributes may also be represented by appropriateindications on the screen 210. For example, if the selected presetincludes changeable color, then the target region 205 may be differentcolors, such as by having discrete colored regions. Alternatively, arainbow type of representation or a color circle/wheel may be providedso that when the icon is dragged over the regions of different colors,the color of the associated light source(s) change in accordance withthe color of the region over which the icon resides.

The interface device 100 allows the user to select a preset, appoint itto a specific area/object, and set an attribute, e.g., intensity of thispreset. Thus the user can select light presets, to appoint a preset tospecific areas in a location and, set the intensity of this preset, allin a single, simple action. The user can easily select modes ofoperation, such as intensity, color, presets and so on, such as via adragging of object for association and controlling light sources tochange attributes of light emanating therefrom. Thus, an elegantuser-interface is provided that allows laymen to easily control anylight source in a lighting system to illuminate any desired regions withany desired type of illumination having any desired attribute selectableby the user or in accordance with presets which may be professionallydesigned and stored in, or available to, the user interface such asthrough downloads from a remote server connected through a network, suchas the Internet for example.

Finally, the above-discussion is intended to be merely illustrative ofthe present invention and should not be construed as limiting theappended claims to any particular embodiment or group of embodiments.Thus, while the present invention has been described in particulardetail with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof, itshould also be appreciated that numerous modifications and changes maybe made thereto without departing from the broader and intended spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Thespecification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in anillustrative manner and are not intended to limit the scope of theappended claims.

In interpreting the appended claims, it should be understood that:

-   -   a) the word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of other        elements or acts than those listed in a given claim;    -   b) the word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude        the presence of a plurality of such elements;    -   c) any reference signs in the claims do not limit their scope;    -   d) several “means” may be represented by the same item or        hardware or software implemented structure or function; and    -   e) each of the disclosed elements may be comprised of hardware        portions (e.g., discrete electronic circuitry), software        portions (e.g., computer programming), or any combination        thereof.

1. An interface device (100) for controlling light sources (110), saidinterface device (100) comprising: a target region (205); and acontroller (120) configured to: associate a preset with an illuminationregion; and control a light source of said light sources (110) in saidillumination region when an indicator (215) associated with said presetand said illumination region is moved into said target region (205). 2.The interface device (100) of claim 1, wherein said controller (120)associates said preset with said illumination region when said preset ismoved to an area of said interface device (100) associated with saidillumination region.
 3. The interface device (100) of claim 1, whereinsaid controller (120) is further configured to change light attributesof light emitted from said light source when said indicator (215) ismoved across said target region (205).
 4. The interface device (100) ofclaim 3, wherein said light attributes include at least one ofintensity, color, hue, saturation, beam direction and beam width of saidlight.
 5. The interface device (100) of claim 1, wherein said controller(120) is further configured to change intensity of light emitted fromsaid light source when said indicator (215) is moved across said targetregion (205).
 6. The interface device (100) of claim 5, wherein saidintensity is maximum when said indicator is at a center of said targetregion (205).
 7. The interface device (100) of claim 1, wherein areas ofsaid target region (205) are associated with different colors; saidcontroller (120) being configured to change a color of light emittedfrom said light source when said indicator (215) is moved across saidareas.
 8. The interface device (100) of claim 1, wherein said controller(120) is further configured to display an indication (220) of saidillumination region.
 9. The interface device (100) of claim 1, whereinsaid indicator (215) is at least one of an icon and a pointer.
 10. Theinterface device (100) of claim 1, wherein said target region (205) isat least one of displayed on a screen (210), resistive disc, and acapacitive disc.
 11. The interface device (100) of claim 1, furthercomprising a display (210) configured to display at least one of saidtarget region (205), said preset and said illumination region.
 12. Theinterface device (100) of claim 1, wherein said preset includes at leastone of a selected set of said light sources (110) and selectedattributes associated with lights emanating from selected set of saidlight sources (110).
 13. A method for controlling light sources (110)using an interface device (100) comprising the acts: associating apreset with an illumination region; moving an indicator (215) associatedwith said preset and said illumination region into a target region (205)of said interface device (100); and controlling a light source of saidlight sources (110) in response to said moving act.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein said associating act associates said preset with saidillumination region when said preset is moved to an area of saidinterface device (100) associated with said illumination region.
 15. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising the act changing light attributesof light emitted from said light source when said indicator (215) ismoved across said target region (205).
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein said light attributes include at least one of intensity, color,hue, saturation, beam direction and beam width of said light.
 17. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising the act changing intensity oflight emitted from said light source when said indicator (215) is movedacross said target region (205).
 18. The method of claim 17, whereinsaid intensity is maximum when said indicator is at a center of saidtarget region (205).
 19. The method of claim 13, further comprising theacts: associating areas of said target region (205) with differentcolors; and changing a color of light emitted from said light sourcewhen said indicator (215) is moved across said areas.
 20. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising the acts displaying an indication (220) ofsaid illumination region.